
Buildings
St Hilda’s Pit head
St Hilda’s Pit Head marks an important chapter in South Shields’ history. It comprises a pumping station and winding house and is all that remains today of the large complex of original pit buildings, which were demolished after closure in 1940.
2017 – Today
Our work
The Trust took on the building in 2017 and, with the help of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and South Tyneside Council, began to plan restoration works that would protect the building as well as making it more accessible.
Working with Mawson Kerr Architects and Meldrum Construction, the Trust identified key issues and set about addressing them.
Before the 2017-18 works, the building had no heating, water, or utilities, and the first and second floors could be accessed only by ladder.
The first action was to restore the shell of the building and replace the steel beams and a number of concrete planks in the roof. This provided the Trust with an excellent opportunity to install a lift and staircase through the roof providing access to all floors and to the roof where views of the town and the winding gear can be enjoyed. As the roof to the winding house had been condemned, access was gained by punching through it and the surrounding area was then restored.
The machinery in the building was consolidated and located appropriately. This includes the winding gear on the roof but also the lift and cages that sit inside the building. This lift shaft was used up until 1992 so there are many miners in the community who can remember using this route.
Once this work was well underway the internal works to the Pump House began. The floor of Studio 1 was raised to be level with the cap of the mineshaft in the Winding House. A blocked arch was then opened to give new connection between these spaces. On the first floor, the 3 office spaces were then formed and lighting, power, heating and data provided.
The first floor has now been turned into three flexible office spaces, keeping original features including hooks used by miners. Theories vary as to the usage of these hooks, from being used to hang lamps to miners’ tokens. Miner’s tokens were small pieces of metal stamped with the name of the colliery and a number representing a specific miner. The tokens would be hung on hooks attached to a wall so that staff could be aware of who was working underground in case of emergency.
The machinery in the building was consolidated and located appropriately. This includes the winding gear on the roof but also the lift and cages that sit inside the building. This lift shaft was used up until 1992 so there are many miners in the community who can remember using this route. The building contract was awarded practical completion in September 2018.
But then, in late autumn 2019, the roof began to leak.
After various attempts to fix the problem, including changing gaskets and adding new coverings, an independent roof integrity test was carried out and further repairs undertaken so that the space and its new (and returning) users could keep dry!
Once restoration was complete, (and the roof stopped leaking!) the Trust worked with local groups to re-establish the building’s place in the South Shields community. Most importantly, we built a strong relationship with the Westoe Miners’ Banner Group that continues to this day. From 2018-19, miners were trained to deliver in school workshops on the site’s history, gave advice to artists and visitors, for Trapped, The Tenth Bord and Colin Davies, and supported 55 young engineering apprentices to create their version of a pit head.
The Trust continue to work closely with tenants, helping to maintain the building, facilitating relationships between tenants and the miners’ group, and enabling them to share the site’s important history on events like Heritage Open Days.





“This landmark building is an important part of the Borough’s rich industrial heritage, with its mining past continuing to be celebrated throughout the structure as well as with a blue plaque in tribute to the famous St Hilda’s Colliery Band. We are delighted to be able to commemorate the achievements of the pit’s highly talented musicians in this way.”
Councillor Alan Kerr.
1822 – 2024
History
The first shaft of St. Hilda’s Colliery was sunk in 1822 by the Brandlings, a wealthy family of merchants and coal owners from Newcastle whose lineage included knights and sheriffs!
Though the disaster at St Hilda’s colliery was also a watershed moment in the history of coal-mining, it wouldn’t be the Brandling’s first. The family also owned Felling Colliery which saw its own disaster in 1812 that killed 91 people. At the time, the dark tunnels that men and young boys were sent into to retrieve previous coal were illuminated by candlelight. With pockets of natural gas interspersed with the seams of coal, using candles was a risk that could not be properly calculated.
While this disaster did set in motion pressures to develop a safer way to light the mines, it would not be until 27 years later, and after the St Hilda’s Colliery disaster, that the use of naked flames to light mines was outlawed. Davy lamps had come into use between the Felling and St. Hilda’s disasters, but were only used where the coal was particularly ‘soft’.
The explosion occurred at 9AM on Friday 28th of June 1839. As well as candles, explosives were used to blast away the earth and rock to gain access to the coal. From the surface, smoke and small pieces of coal emerged from the furnace shaft as around 100 men and boys were working underground. The naked flames combined with the gases to cause an explosion that claimed 51 lives, mostly as a result of ‘afterdamp’, the mix of toxic gases following an explosion.
The disaster prompted a series of reports and investigations, including one by the Children’s Employment Commission, and ultimately lead to the abolition of candle use in mines. Children under 13 could still work in the mines until 1900 and remained in employed in the coal industry above ground for much longer.
In the years following the disaster, St. Hilda’s Colliery continued to be used until its closure in 1940. The same community spirit that drove the rescue mission during and the recovery from the disaster continued in the form of St. Hilda’s Colliery Band. St Hilda’s Colliery Band won the World Band Championships five times in 1912, 1920, 1921, 1924 & 1926 – in 1927, they were banned from competing as they were considered too professional!
After the closure of the colliery, some of the buildings were maintained and the shaft kept open to provide ventilation and another exit for the interlinked Westoe Colliery.
When Westoe Colliery was closed in 1993, the buildings were no longer maintained and fell into disrepair.

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